Southern to train Chinese mine managers

CHARLESTON Mining managers from China’s top coal-producing province will attend safety and rescue training in West Virginia. Officials from Shanxi Province traveled to the capital to sign the agreement with Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College and West Virginia University (WVU).

First Lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin hosted the event at the governor’s mansion and signed the agreement on behalf of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. She accepted the duties as president of Southern West Virginia Technical College in 1999 and became the 36th First Lady of the State of West Virginia in 2010. President James Clements signed on behalf of WVU.

Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College is in the application process to accept international students. The managers will enroll through WVU, which will contract with the technical college to provide the training.

Seven executives from Shanxi mines are scheduled to attend the two-day training in September 2012.

“One of the goals of this program is to raise awareness of mine rescue safety during disaster operations,” said Ms. Tomblin. “We hope that China and other countries will continue to send mining officials for such training.”

The Shanxi officials toured the training facilities on the Logan campus and the college’s Academy for Mine Training and Energy Technologies. The course focuses on emergency management for mining disasters and command post training for mid-level managers and rescue personnel.

Because most of China’s coal mines are underground, the rescue training will focus on practices applicable to underground mining.

The training agreement is part of ongoing efforts to build and maintain trade relations between West Virginia and China. West Virginia Development Office International Division has participated in mining trade shows in China in 2008, 2009 and 2011. Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College participated in the state booth at the China Coal and Mining Expo in 2011.